Ascension of the Primalist [A Tamer Class, LitRPG]

As Seth stepped out of the outpost, the cool evening air brushed his skin and carried with it the lingering scents of burning oil and damp stone. The streets of Trogan had begun to quiet, the rush of merchants and adventurers thinning as night took its hold.

Nightmare’s voice echoed in Seth’s mind, 'You do realize that the reason you broke through faster than any other humans is probably Link, right?'

'Yeah.' Seth exhaled through his nose.

The moment he plunged a hand into his Endless Pouch to put away his gauntlets, a subtle stir of aether prickled against his fingers. He frowned, pulling out Elena’s communication orb. A soft glow pulsed within

Elena: Are you alright? You seemed… distant earlier.

Seth ran a thumb over the smooth surface of the crystal orb before infusing aether inside.

Seth: Yeah. I was just thinking.

After a brief pause, he then continued.

Seth: The Champions of Chaos’ blacksmith made me a new pair of gauntlets. I’m going to test them in the Trial Tower. I still got my free entry.

The rewards granted to those who were at the top of the tower’s ranking at the end of the session tomorrow was what he was aiming for. Odds were, there wouldn’t be much for a Primalist like him… but even then, he could earn things that could help, like extra hours in the Epic Training Chamber—or something that would make him stronger quickly for the war. Something that might finally help him hatch Colossus.

Elena's answer came an instant later.

Elena: Want us to come wait for you outside?

Seth froze mid-step, his grip tightening on the orb. He hadn’t expected the question. It wasn’t like he needed company for this—

'What’s wrong?' Nightmare prodded, his amusement spreading through their bond. 'Don’t tell me that Legacy thing doesn’t want you to mate? Is that why you’re suddenly not interested in her?'

Seth scowled. 'Don’t be ridiculous.'

The direwolf’s laughter rumbled in the back of his mind as Seth focused on the orb once again, quickly writing his response.

Seth: If you want to.

After slipping the orb back into his pouch, he kept walking toward the academy, losing himself once more in his thoughts. He was all too aware of how much time he’d spent turning things over in his head over the past few days, but with everything he had just learned, how could he not?

A Legacy was supposed to push him down a certain Path, not dictate every part of his life. Even if Kreytorus—whoever he was—might not have appreciated being around people, that shouldn’t make him feel the same.

Well… I hope so, Seth thought with a sigh.

An hour later, the dark stone of the Trial Tower surrounded Seth as he rushed up the staircase with Nightmare by his side. Over the last dozen minutes, they had just slain three Iron-ranked summons—the Inferno Bear that had previously halted their climb, a Lizard Champion, and a Warrior Gnoll—and yet Seth had barely spent twenty percent of his aether, thanks to his coordinated assault with the direwolf.

His newly crafted gauntlets gleamed under the soft glow of the light-lamps lining the chamber the moment they reached the fourteenth floor. Wasting no time, Seth pressed his palm against the glowing orb on the altar near the entrance and immediately dashed forward.

Two more floors to clear and he’d stand at the top of the rankings… just above Elena.

'Do we go all out this time?' the direwolf asked, slipping into Illusionary Emptiness.

'Yeah,' Seth answered while running. 'I’ll just hold off on Beastmaster Rage.'

Nightmare growled in satisfaction as a hulking figure materialized on the white cross painted on the floor across the room.

Coarse gray fur covered its muscular body, and its yellow eyes locked onto them with a sharp, predatory gleam. Its long arms almost reached the chamber’s floor, the dark claws at their end inches away from the cold stone. Baring its fangs, the beast let out a deep, reverberating snarl and dropped into a low stance at the same time Seth cast Intermediate Identify.